[TN-Bird] Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge 11/19/05

The following are my field notes from last Saturday's
(11/19/05) birding trip to TN National Wildlife
Refuge, Big Sandy Unit to Paris Landing State Park.  I
know a couple of other groups were there that day. 
Thanks to Mike Todd for stopping to say 'hello' and
giving us some ideas on where to start.  These notes
are also available at 
https://umdrive.memphis.edu/twilcoxn/public/BigSandyNov05.html

19 November 2005 
United States, Tennessee, Benton County, Henry County,
Tennessee Nat. Wildlife Refuge, 
Big Sandy, Britton Ford, V.L. Childs Overlook, Paris
Landing
Morgan, G.M., Rensel, M.A., Wilcoxen, T.E.
Cool in the morning, gradually warming, variable from
sunny to completely overcast and breezy

Benton County, Big Sandy Unit, Small Inlet off
Bennett's Creek Road
0845h-1015h
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) (2) - Wading in
shallow inlet
Carolina Chickadee (Parus carolinensis) (1) - In trees
near boat ramp 
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) (1) - In trees
near boat ramp
Dark Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) (5) - In trees near
boat ramp
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) (2) - In
shrubs and trees around inlet
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) (1) - In trees
near boat ramp
Tufted Titmouse (Parus bicolor) (2) - In trees near
boat ramp
Red-Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) (1)
- In trees near boat ramp
Red-Throated Loon (Gavia stellata) (2) - Drifting in
main lake area to West of boat ramp
Common Loon (Gavia immer) (2) - Drifting in main lake
to East of boat ramp, two calling
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) (2) - In trees
along shallow inlet, male and female calling 
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) (15) - In shrubs and
tall grass along shallow inlet
Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delwarensis) (2) - Fishing in
shallow inlet
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) (8) - Moving along
shore of shallow inlet
Redhead (Aythya americana) (3-5) - Swimming in shallow
inlet with 15-20 unidentified ducks
Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) (2) - Swimming
in inlet with 15-20 unID ducks
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (2) - Swimming in shallow
inlet with 15-20 unidentified ducks
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) (1) - Moving among
shrubs near shallow inlet
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (3) - Two adults
and one juvenile soaring above trees 
American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) (6-8) -
flittering about shrubs along shallow inlet
White-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) (3) -
Moving among underbrush
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) (1) - Female swimming
with 15-20 other unidentified ducks
17 S -129135
        4046359  NAD27 Central

Benton County, Big Sandy Unit, Road South of Pace
Point, West of Bennett's Creek Road
1020h-1120h
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) (1) - Flew
over road into tall oak trees to East 
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) (8) - 4
pairs, swimming in pond  at Pace Point sign
Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) (1) - In
brush at pond behind Pace Point sign
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) (8-10) - In brush
surrounding pond behind Pace Point sign
White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) (4-5)
- In brush  at pond behind Pace Point sign
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) (5) - In tall
trees surrounding small pond
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) (12) - 1/4
mi. Pond near Chickasaw Nature Trail
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (3) - 2 males, 1 female,
in small pond near Chickasaw Nature Trail
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) (1) - female drifting
in main body of Big Sandy River
Common Loon (Gavia immer) - (20+) drifting in Big
Sandy River (closer to opposite bank)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) (2) - flying among
large trees along main body of Big Sandy River 
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) (6) - flying
across road during drive 
17 S -133431
        4050088 NAD27 Central

Henry County, Flats SE of Britton Ford, Boat Ramp
Along Big Sandy River
1150h-1205h
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (>100) - Drifting among
sticks in shallow water
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) (~50) - wading in
shallow water in the flats
American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) (25-30) -
foraging in muddy flats
Many unidentified ducks and gulls foraging in this
area

 Henry County, Britton Ford, Boat Ramp Along Big Sandy
River
1220h-1245h
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) (1) - Sitting on
telephone wire near Britton Ford
Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delwarensis) (3) - Flying
around boat ramp
Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) (3) - Soaring above
trees opposite of boat ramp
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (1) - Soaring
above trees to East of boat ramp
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) (1) - Soaring above
trees to West of boat ramp
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) (2) - Flying along
road just south of Britton Ford

 Henry County, West Sandy Management Area, V.L. Childs
Overlook and Adjacent Soy Bean Field
1310h-1445h
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) (20) - Standing in
bean field and drifting in river East of field
Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) (9) - With Canada's,
two were "Blue Morph" 
Gadwall (Anas strepera) (4) - swimming in large group
of ducks immediately East of overlook
Redhead (Aythya americana) (10) - swimming in large
group of ducks at overlook
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) (~50) - swimming in large
group of ducks at overlook
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) (5-10) - wading
along shores around overlook
Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delwarensis) (5) - flying
around overlook
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) (6) - swimming in large
group of ducks at overlook
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) (4) -
swimming in large group of ducks at overlook
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) (2) - pair swimming in
large group of ducks
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) (>20) - some in own
group, others intermixed with other spp.
American Wigeon (Anas americana) (1) - lone male
swimming among large group of ducks
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) (3) - diving between
large group of mixed spp. and  Ruddy's
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) (1) - small adult,
flying low over large group of ducks
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) (1) - flying low
near shallows in front of overlook
Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) (3) -
standing on logs near bean field 
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) (6) - flew in to
overlook area, moving along muddy shore
17S -141264
        4044401

Henry County, Paris Landing State Park, near Paris
Landing Bridge
1510h-1520h
American Coot (Fulica americana) (~100) - Swimming in
two rafts, one at bridge, other to south
Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) (4) - Swimming
near buoy and yellow pipe
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (1) - Standing
on log in middle of Kentucky Lake
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) (4) - Swimming ~50m from
shore south of bridge

Henry County, City of Paris and surrounding highways
(Gotta love those invasives!)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (many) - along
trees and powerlines in Paris
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) (6) - moving among
landscaping at Sonic restaurant
Rock Dove (Columbia livia) (many) - flying along
buildings in downtown Paris
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) (1) - male walking
along TN-641 South of Paris

TOTAL SURVEY TIME: 0845h-1545h

TOTAL SPECIES COUNT: 47

Travis Wilcoxen
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN
traviswilcoxen@xxxxxxxxx



                
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